However, looks can also be deceiving. The kingdom has a very ancient—and dark—history, dating back to a time when the Earth was just starting to rebuild itself and things were still in relative chaos, when humans were a minority and had to band together in groups to survive. According to their history and beliefs, magic of any sort is evil, a thing to be despised and destroyed, for to them, magic was the cause of the Earth’s destruction, and it is their belief that it is their duty to rid the Earth of magic, and thus prevent another disaster from occurring. Needless to say, magic wielders are not welcome, and when discovered, they are quickly stamped out of existence.

This does not, by any means, make the people of Connlaoth evil, though certainly a mage might view them as such. They are just like any other people, with their own heritage and set of beliefs. To a mage, they might be the epitome of evil, but by their own viewpoint, they are only doing what they feel is necessary to protect the world.

In fact, perhaps it is this desire to protect the Earth that explains another trait of Connlaoth—the kingdom and its people share a close relationship with to nature and its creatures. In fact, according to common belief, animals are able to sense the presence of magic-users and also fear them, as well. Dogs are especially important as both protectors and companions, and they are even trained for and used in combat.

While practicing any sort of magic, or even possessing magical abilities is against the law of Connlaoth and subject to harsh punishments, that doesn't mean Connlaoth is free of mages. If that were the case, there would be no need for the Mordecai. Many magic-users, or unfortunate individuals that happen to be born with magical abilities, co-exist right next to other citizens of Connlaoth, keeping their abilities a closely guarded secret and hoping they aren't found out, maybe even loathing their own abilities and magic-using brethren.

However, the fact is...even so much as possessing magic is a crime, and all guilty parties, regardless of their loyalties, are subject to immediate punishment.

And thus, the Catacombs came into being, a secret, underground labyrinth of tunnels and spacious areas that persecuted mages could flee to in times of need. The Catacombs, though its location is a closely guarded secret among the mages, may not be a complete secret themselves. Rumors of such a hidden sanctuary for magic-users have been in circulation for ages among the folk of Connlaoth, though proof of such a place is as of yet a mystery that only mages know the truth of.

Another rumor is that, aside from being a haven for magic-users, the Catacombs also house a faction of rebellious mages called the "Insurrection". But, again, this is merely speculation.

1. Kingdom Colors
Forest green and brass.

2. Kingdom Flag

Connlaoth's flag is simple for the most part. It has the brass silouhette of a dog (a Connlaothian tracker to be specific) lying down and looking behind it on a green background.

3. Pronunciation
Connlaoth - Con-LAY-awth, Con-neh-LAY-awth
Maverikko - Ma-vree-ko, Mav-ri-ko, Mav-er-eek-ko
Lefteanant - Left-AYE-nant
Clé - Cuh-LAY
Ceart - See-AIR-tay
Chornal - Ch-OR-nahl
Maor - MY-or
Dtús - De'too
Dóú - Doe-oo

Being the best of the best has its perks. One is that they don't have to be called by their rank anymore, instead being addressed as Dragoon [Last Name], and when that title was going to be Guard [Last Name] that's a big perk. Dragoons also have a virtual rank of sorts, since most troops are willing to take orders from a lower ranking troop if they know that he's the shit (to put it bluntly). Being a Dragoon also helps with promotion, if they're Guardsmen they usually find themselves Sergeants or even Captains within a short amount of time. They also get paid more than their common counterparts.

[Written by Nightcandle]

Aside from their unique ability, the Mordecai are just like any other person and soldier. While there are folktales and legends about them that go back all the way to Connlaoth's foundation, the Mordecai are just normal, everyday people, a far cry from being superhuman in their abilities, and they’re just as flawed as anyone else. They walk, eat, sleep, train, and live among the regular soldiers and knights and are regarded by their peers as elites. When they are not being sent on missions to raid "nests" of magic-users, investigate and "take care of" mages, they participate in normal missions and duties for the kingdom, though they are given a little more leeway than other soldiers and trainees, as only the highest ranking commanders can order a Mordecai around.

Another interesting thing about the Mordecai is their relationship with nature. When in the presence of animals, the animals have a desire to help and protect them.

While the ability sometimes seems to appear at random, there's a higher chance of someone becoming a Mordecai if the ability runs in the family. Some Mordecai may possess the ability from birth. With others, it may manifest later in life for unknown reasons and it's not entirely uncommon for someone to be completely unaware that they have the ability at all.

Though some Mordecai may discover their ability for themselves and seek an audience with the Matron or Patron on their own, not all Mordecai are discovered of their own free will, and once discovered, not all Mordecai submit themselves to the will of the monarchs willingly. Given their rarity, there is a high demand for those born with the gift. Because of this, every now and then a special search party (accompanied by a Mordecai) sets out in to root out any Mordecai that don't come to the palace willingly (or are simply way too young to), and once discovered, they become, basically, the property of the kingdom for the rest of their lives. This doesn’t mean they also aren’t allowed to live fairly normal lives; many that had homes and family lives before their discovery may also be allowed to continue on with their old lives when they aren’t out on missions for the kingdom.

As a final note, the Mordecai ability is not exclusive to Connlaoth even though it originated there. Due to emigration, people with the ability can and do reside in other countries, though they wouldn't be called Mordecai (and they might not even be aware of what they are at all). Understandably, that title carries with it a certain stigma that would not be appreciated in magic-accepting areas.

2. The Upper Crust
Connlaoth's lords are brought up to believe that magic is a force of evil, but they're the people that make sure perfectly normal people are protected from its malign grasp. A Connlaothian noble, especially if their last name happens to be Maverikko, believes that she's superior to all magic-users. They believe that magic-users grow so dependent on magic that if its taken from them they'll shrivel up and die like neglected flowers. These pathetic addicts can't wait to bring more people to their addiction, especially those without magic who'll end up relying on them entirely. These Connlaothians are the ones that are most likely to encounter magic-users, mostly foreign magic-users who just happen to be out of their grasp. For now.

3. The Military
Most members of Connlaoth's military hate magic-users. It’s a natural reaction after facing one and being beaten by a few wild hand gestures and some gibberish, and an even more natural reaction after hearing the story of the one that was beaten with a wave and babble. Many members of Connlaoth's military will inevitably encounter a magic-user at one point during their career; either as a bound prisoner, a crazed maniac that seeks to be a one-man barbarian hoard, or that innocent they're sent to arrest. Most first encounters tend to be violent, since no commander can afford to nurture any feelings of sympathy their troops might have for magic-users.

4. Mages
A mage born into Connlaoth enters the world with one foot precariously perched on the edge of a fast crumbling cliff. One on side lays acceptance of their magic and on the other lays a life of trying to keep it hidden. The walls usually crumble down under them soon after they learn that they're a magic-user. From there the path gets no easier; those that try to hide their abilities have a life of making sure they don't get near any Mordecai, making sure that they never get tempted to use their magic “just once”, knowing that if they're found out they put the nails in the coffin of everyone they care about. Those that accept their magic have an even harder road ahead of them. Connlaoth's societal attitudes toward magic often makes a natural born mage fall into despair, thinking that they have nothing to look forward to aside from a life of evil. Some fatalistically take up their destiny and further drive home the thought that mages are evil in the Connlaothian eye, while others turn themselves in to save the ones they love from dying for crimes they didn't even know they were committing. Tragic indeed is the mage who has no clue that they have magical talent until they're woken up in the middle of the night and hauled off with their entire family to a prison, only to die in confused agony.

5. Covens
If a mage is lucky, they don't have to jump from one end of the cliff to another. Unlikely as it may seem, there are a few covens of magic users around Connlaoth. These mages are too proud to move other another kingdom where they'll be accepted, and they often have a faint glimmer of hope that one day magic will be accepted in Connlaoth. Some magic-users are born into these covens, which usually range in size from 2 to 60 odd members. Others are brought in if the coven has a member that can sense magic in others. These mages will kidnap children with magical potential and lure adults in with romance or offers of work. Some covens are on slightly less bad terms with border towns, and are often turned to when that little girl starts making cat rockets. Some covens are content to live their lives one step ahead of the law, others seek to change the attitudes of the common Connlaothian, one at a time, while others are more violent.

[Written by Nightcandle]

2. Race
If you look “weird” (three eyes, bestial, extra wings, hot magenta hair, that sort of thing) there's a chance that someone is going to get suspicious. Magically created creatures have a chance of thriving as long as they don't need to be “fueled” by magic and don't fit the above stated weirdness factor.

3. Gender
Gender roles are extremely lax in Connlaoth, due to a history of strong females in the government, military, and individual households (it's all those fiery redheads Connlaoth grows). Masculine clothing on females isn't all too unusual, since floor length skirts and dresses are thought to be “magic” clothing. Men can get away with wearing long tunics in the heat of the summer, when no one blames them for wanting less clothing on, though men are advised not to wear anything too short (or for that matter, too long; there's a delicate balance to going skirted for Connlaoth's menfolk). Very young children often wear long, belted smocks whether they're male or female.

While there are still misogynists and misandrists around, men and women are generally seen as equal with individual members being perceived as weaker or tougher than normal. Which of course means that a woman that’s beaten by her husband wouldn't have the backing of a society that disapproved of “hitting girls” —she'd just be thought of as a doormat.

Marriage is strictly between males and females, though before (or if they want to be scandalous, after) they get married, who they fool around with is their choosing. Premarital sex isn't too much of an issue in Connlaoth and bastards aren't frowned on, but are seen as a sign of a person's ability to procreate. However, once the parent caring for the bastard child gets married, the bastard gets the last pickings at any joint inheritance.

As a final note, any transsexual people among Connlaoth's population would be thought of as poor, magically beleaguered souls and “helped” as best as possible.

4. Homosexuality
While homosexuality in Connlaoth’s past was often viewed as a sign of magic-use, the attitude began to soften when several prominent non-magic users came out of the closet. Though there are still stubborn people out there who believe homosexuality is a sign of magic-use, present day Connlaoth is only really concerned with passing on the bloodline, especially bloodlines with several Mordecai. While it’s acceptable to fool around with people of the same gender it’s only a real crisis when a person doesn’t want to settle down with a person of the opposite gender.

A stubbornly homosexual person, especially from an important family, would be a social outcast and considered obscenely selfish.

5. Familial Loaning
Connlaothian commoners rarely face oppression because of one fad amongst Connlaoth's noble crowd: an odd form of indentured servitude commonly called "Familial Loaning" among other things.

In a nutshell, one noble will sell a willing (or in some cases unwilling) member of their family to another noble family as a servant. Typically the one sold as a servant is in their early teen years but younger and older people have also been sold. The "servant" works for a pre-specified amount of time "paying off their debt". During that time period they're effectively a commoner and subject to the whims of their new household (within reason, no family wants their "servant" to be returned in a box or traumatized for life). Most "servants" are treated a little rougher than the usual household staff, but it's all in good humor, or at least that's what its called whenever nobles gather at court or whatnot. Having a vivid memory of being mocked and whatnot is a good reason for most nobles that aren't completely heartless to keep from harassing commoners.

This fad has also created a special breed of flattery/insults (i.e. "I wouldn't have you for a bent copper.").

6. Trade
Connlaoth, surprisingly, isn't reluctant to trade with its more magically inclined neighbors. While it absolutely refuses to trade with the Zantaric and La’marri, it will do business with the other villages and kingdoms, so long as they’re willing to play under Connlaoth's rules. Trade is never a concrete part of Connlaoth's economy; it's left to the Patron/Matron to decide whether or not Connlaoth trades with anyone. If Connlaoth trades, the Patron/Matron will usually send a representative to discuss terms with the one that has what Connlaoth wants. The terms are: Meet us at such-and-such a place (which is never anywhere near Connlaoth) at such-and-such a time with so much of whatever they're trading for. No magic users are allowed anywhere near the delivery site, unless there are absolutely no non-magic users available. At such-and-such a day at such-and-such a place the foreign merchants will find the Connlathian merchant party, which looks more like a party of mercenaries than merchants. Any merchant leaving Connlaoth brings an escort of two guard units, supplemented with cavalry and dog handlers and if one is available, a Mordecai.

[Written by Nightcandle]

—General, Lefteanant General Clé and Lefteanant General Ceart: These three individuals are the highest ranking officers in the Connlaothian army. The proper form of address is General (last name). Currently the General is Moko Verde, the Lefteanant General Clé is Kalidas Phobos and the Lefteanant General Ceart is Naphtali Deimos.
—Chornal addressed as Chornal (last name)
—Lefteanant Chornal addressed as Lefteanant Chornal (last name)
—Maor addressed as Maor (last name)
—Captain addressed as Captain (last name)
—Lefteanant dtús addressed as Lefteanant (last name)
—Lefteanant dóú addressed as Lefteanant (last name)
—Sergeant addressed as Sergeant (last name)
—Guard Class dtús most commonly addressed by their last name, formally they are addressed as Guardsman/Guardswoman (last name)
—Guard most commonly addressed by their last name, formally they are addressed as Guardsman/Guardswoman (last name)
—Trainees

An image of a Connlaothian uniform, drawn by Nightcandle, can be found here.

[Written by Nightcandle]

Week 2: Military training 1. Trainees will have to fight to stay awake during this week, in which they'll learn how to move in a formation, proper wear and care of their rather mediocre uniforms, how to repair the uniforms when they eventually pop buttons and unravel themselves, chain of command, tactics for engaging threats in a flat plain and tactics for engaging magical threats in a flat plain.

Week 3: Weapons Training 1. This week, the trainees will learn how to assemble, disassemble, and clean a musket, how to keep their weapon dry (this amusing exercise involves instructors with buckets of water and trainees attempting to keep their powder from being soaked), how to make ammunition, and that gun powder goes boom if it's treated too roughly (another amusing exercise that involves making little popper fireworks and throwing them at week 1 trainees). This is supplemented by more formations and random uniform checks.

Week 4: Weapons Training 2: This week, the trainees will fire their first shots with the musket and will learn basic care of heavy crossbows. The crossbows will be fired during this period and those that display skill with either the musket or the crossbow will receive specialized training in either or. A few highly specialized trainees will be allowed to participate in pistol training with flintlock firearms. Those that can't hit the broadside of a barn are pulled out of musket/crossbow training and put into heavy artillery, since obviously they need something bigger to hit and something bigger to throw at it.

Week 5: Military Training 2: Also known as tactics training. This week covers tactics for engaging both normal and magical threats in a variety of locations, beginning with urban areas and covering all of Connlaoth's terrain types and those in the immediate area.

Week 6-8: Applied Knowledge: Trainees will be assigned to guard units in the nearby city of Beachtree. It works as a rotation schedule, with some trainees working with the unit and others staying back to work on more weapons training, armory duty or simple cleaning (trainees = cheap labor). Then they graduate and go back to their hometown to continue their existence as a member of the town guard. Those that live near Connlaoth castle are sometimes assigned to do castle guard, and every once in a while several guard units will be called to go coven hunting.

Connlaothian trainees run the gamut in age from 16 all the way up to the early-mid thirties. It's not too hard to teach someone to point a boom stick at another person and pull the trigger. Instructors are usually Sergeants, though more experienced guards with some serious talent (in the hope that their talent will rub off) and junior officers (that offer good lessons in how to piss off senior officers most of the time) are employed as well. Besides the Guard trainee program, Connlaoth's Academy also offers advancement courses for talented guards or richer trainees that don't want to start at the bottom of the food chain in the military, and the necessary training for specialized jobs. These special jobs include armory maintenance, cavalry (who don't actually fight par se, they run messages between various commanders), dog handler, gun smith, munitions crafter, artillery construction, ballistics (who have really fun jobs. Shoot stuff! Blow stuff up!), dog trainer, horse trainer and contractor (who write up bounties for wanted criminals).

General Verde is quite fond of the Academy, and often skips down there when he isn't busy with duty (or when he can pass it off to Generals Phobos and Deimos) to see how things are running and inspect Connlaoth's newest troops. More often than not, the General usually shows up at the front door when the Academy has a Week 3 class (that water exercise is fun to watch, and participate in!).

2. Dorm Guard
From the middle of week one on through the remainder of their training, all Academy trainees are required to pull dorm guard shifts. Dorm guard is a two-hour slice of hell in which the trainee is woken up and made to sit in the dark with another unlucky bastard. They're each armed with a little lantern and given orders to make sure nobody escapes, tries to kill themselves, tries anything immoral and pretty much to make sure that the people sleeping are still breathing.

From week 2 on, one trainee is selected per week to make up the dorm guard shifts (dorm guard begins at 9 PM and ends at 4 AM, so there are 4 shifts per night). As can be expected, that trainee has a week of nice healthy rest only to lose it the next week when the next trainee gets revenge on them. Just to make sure the trainees aren't cheating the system, an Instructor will check in on them a couple times during each shift. This could be as routine as an Instructor poking his head into the dorm and checking for two slightly annoyed figures standing around a lantern, or as evil as an Instructor creeping into the dorm and sneaking up on the dorm guards.

Just to screw with the trainees more, their dorms are located in a creepy old building that creaks for no good reason and looks exceptionally ominous in the low light from a lantern..

[Written by Nightcandle]

2. Prince/Princess
The person being groomed to become the next Matron/Patron of Connlaoth is referred to as the prince (or princess) to differentiate them from other Connlaothian nobles. The prince need not be the child of the current Patron/Matron and may not be related to them by blood if they're adopted or married into the family. The heir doesn't have much actual power to speak of, but can hold a lot of influence over other nobles. In the event of a Patron/Matron dying before the heir is prepared they will enter a dual Patron ship with a retired Patron/Matron, or if there are none, with the previous ruler's seneschal. The proper form of address is Prince/Princess (first name).

3. Nobility
A broad and varied group. Very few are hereditary Lords and Ladies in the classic medieval sense while others are wealthy merchants, the immediate family of high ranking officers, or assistants of the Patron/Matron. Hereditary nobility are most often mayors, tax collectors and other bureaucrats. The merchants of status continue running their businesses, though most hire people to run the mundane aspects for them. Most related to ranking officers are humble, if moneyed commoners while the Patron/Matron's assistants have rank so they can give orders for them and to keep them from being overwhelmed by other nobles. It's considered quite gauche to publicly look down on another noble because they aren't 'of the old blood', 'didn't earn their money themselves' etc. And while a few families and individuals have adopted titles there are no proper forms of address when talking to a member of the nobility.

4. Soldiers/Trainees
Soldiers make up the bulk of the country's militia, and it is their duty to defend the kingdom in times of need and enforce the law at all times. However, the duties of soldiers vary, especially during times of peace when there is no imminent threat or upcoming war on the horizon. Duties include patrolling the villages, protecting the borders, gathering intelligence (in order to better protect the country by anticipating any future threats), and any other missions the monarchs or higher officials may deem necessary. There are also different classes and skills among the soldiers, such as weapons classes (swordsmen, archers, gunmen, etc.) and even classes specializing in medicine. After all, in place of magic, Connlaoth has more technologically advanced weaponry, such as pistols, muskets, and rifles. The class the soldier belongs to all depends on his or her individual skills.

Though this is mostly a voluntary service, if the kingdom is in short supply of soldiers...citizens may also be drafted during a time of war.

Trainees are the soldiers-in-training.

5. Commoners
The bulk of the country. Though they don't have much money and power in the country, most of Connlaoth's commoners live reasonably comfortable lives. There is plenty of work available for those that want to make honest money, but some (mostly disguised magic users) resort to thievery to make ends meet. There is no proper form of address when speaking to a commoner.

7. Slaves
Slavery is legal in Connlaoth, though many people prefer to hire servants rather than buy slaves. There are no laws concerning the treatment of slaves; all decisions regarding their lives are up to their masters.

There have been times that a selected heir isn't suitable for ruler ship, either they're too slow, too ambitious [sic] (according to their predecessor) or they're a Mordecai. Only one Patron in Connlaoth's history has ever been a Mordecai, the kingdom's founder. It's unknown where this rule originated, but it’s followed to this day, and reasoned by the knowledge that all Mordecai are necessary in the field and can't be wasted on the throne. In this case, a new heir is selected and the process starts anew. About eight times out of ten, the heir is a child of their predecessor, with the others being a child of a sibling or another close relative and the last being some obscure relative with exceptional promise.

A Patron/Matron has their own personal seneschal and may have several personal secretaries to help them with their work. Which, when one stops to consider it, isn't all that difficult. They have the final say on any major military operations, make sure the cities pay their taxes, make a budget for said taxes, regulate tariffs and do any other little tasks that running a government entails. The Patron/Matron has absolute power over everything that goes on in Connlaoth and can do pretty much whatever they want. Suffice it to say, the concept 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it!' is thoroughly pounded into any heir's head, so they won't suddenly decide to uproot the entire system. Those that can't understand this concept are relieved of their impending duty and often sent to the Academy and from there pull border guard for the rest of their lives. Aside from the absolute rule of the Patron/Matron, the citizens of Connlaoth are expected to obey their city council and pretty much have no choice but to follow the city guard (resisting the law often earns one a six foot deep hole in the ground). All but the smallest farming communities in Connlaoth have a city council, which usually consists of a mayor, a chief tax collector, a chief contractor, and an officer to oversee the various guard units.

[Written by Nightcandle]

Those that break the law end up in the prisons (which aren't very pleasant) for a time based on the nature of their crime and who it was committed against. A lot of minor offences (stealing too many apples from the grocer's cart and the like) will result in a person being sold into martial slavery. A martial slave is like a servant to the entire military and is usually busy polishing boots, sewing up uniforms and doing other minor duties for the guard unit they're sold too, and all the while working up enough to first pay off their debt to society and then buy themselves back from the military.

Then comes a section of the law that sets Connlaoth apart from its neighbors.

1. The Anti-Magic Code
The code reads something like this:

1. Those that practice magic aren't citizens. (This would usually exempt them from paying taxes and following other mundane laws, but those that do that all but have a glowing fluorescent light branded into their forehead that reads “I'm a mage, kill me now.”)

2. No one can be apprehended as a magic-user unless the accuser has valid evidence of magecraft. (This saves people from saying their annoying neighbor is a wizard to have him arrested.)

2a. A person can be put on watch if enough people express suspicion over possible magic use.

2b. The word of a close relative is enough for a person to be put on watch.

2c. The period of watch is one month, and the person in question is required to be kept in the dark.

2d. Should the person under watch be informed of the watch, the person responsible will be brought in for interrogation.

3. If a person should perform magic in a crowd, or the watch shows proof of magic use, that person will be placed under arrest and immediately brought for interrogation.

4. There is one penalty for magic use, knowledge of magic use without reporting, and aiding and sheltering magic users: execution, by any means the judge sees as fit. (Recently, this law has been casually forgotten by most judges when a family is drug in along with the mage; after being “interrogated” a judge will usually allow one or more of the family members to “escape”.)

Slavery is a fluid issue in Connlaoth. While it's legal, the society in no way depends on a slave labor force and there is no national attitude towards it. The government claims no responsibility for keeping slaves in line (aside from martial slaves, who are largely left to their unit), leaving that task to the master. When it comes down to it, most Connlaothians would rather have a servant than a slave.

Prostitution is legal in Connlaoth. Living as a prostitute in Connlaoth lets one live a relatively anonymous life, since whores aren't expected to pay taxes (no tax collector has ever been able to work out a system to evenly tax them) and not many people notice if they pack up all their things and move to another town. In fact, roughly a third of the whores in Connlaoth are magic-users trying to live a low key life. These women (the ratio of female to male prostitutes is about 95:5, due mostly to the fact that not many women seek prostitutes and a majority of the men that would prefer to have a steady lover) often end up taking an innocent person down with them when they get caught, since patronizing them counts as aiding a magic-user and the john usually gets an “intent to beget magic users” charge on top of everything.

[Written by Nightcandle]

Remembering the words of the mysterious stranger, the leader ran for the mage accompanied by one of the dogs, a Doberman with a coat like red fire. As they closed in, the mage's hands danced with lightning, but when the leader of the men got close to him the magic slipped from his fingers, seeming to vanish into thin air. The mage stepped back in shock and the Doberman leapt at him, tearing at his throat. Stunned, the leader told the rest of his band about what their silver-haired visitor said, and they all pondered if they were selected for some divine purpose. During their travels it was found that the dogs that accompanied them had a nose for magic and strange creatures, especially the red Doberman, and that their leader and the red Doberman both seemed to nullify any and all magic they came across. They were the first of the Mordecai.

After a great deal of traveling, the group came across a wide valley carved into the earth, a valley so deep that the edges seemed to drop into a fog. It was in this hidden valley that the group decided to settle, creating the kingdom called Connlaoth.

[Written by Nightcandle]